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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22944169">Always You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelarry10/pseuds/lovelarry10'>lovelarry10</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Millie Verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Direction (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, Established Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Fluff, Harry and Louis are married, It's all just too soft, Love, M/M, Married Couple, Millie is sassy af, Parents Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Romance, Sequel, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, parenting, sorry - Freeform, yes i know it's late</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:07:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,966</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22944169</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelarry10/pseuds/lovelarry10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You think he’ll want to come?” Millie asked the question that had been clearly troubling her, and Louis just grinned, nodding. He knew it was right up Harry’s street, and that his husband would near-collapse from the emotion of being asked to something so important to Millie. “Really really?”</p><p>“I really really think he will,” Louis grinned, cuddling his daughter tightly again.</p><p>*****</p><p>Valentine’s Day is one of Millie's favourite holidays. It’s all about love, and boy does she love to love. She loves her daddies, she loves her auntie's and her grandparents. She even loves her new best friend, much to her Daddy’s worry. But this year is going to be extra special if her Papa accepts her question! Harry also wants to make this holiday special for his two loves, while Louis has his own surprise up his sleeve...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Millie Verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612420</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>298</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Always You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The song title is from Always You by Louis Tomlinson, on his amazing debut album Walls! </p><p>I'm so sorry it's late. I have not been in a good place lately, and have consequently had a few weeks off writing, which has been much needed. Therefore I decided to split this fic into two chapters, and will post the second shortly. Thank you to my two wonderful friends who have told me to keep writing this when I wanted to give up - this is for you. xx</p><p>I do hope you like this, Millie is a joy to write and I hope you love reading more about her and her lovely daddies :) Let me know what you think in the comments please. x</p><p>xx</p><p>DISCLAIMER:<br/>This is a work of fiction. All characters are of my own creation and in no way reflect the beliefs and actions of those in real life. Any sexual content is consensual and legal per the consent guidelines in the United Kingdom. Please ensure you read the tags before proceeding with this story - they are there to protect you and me. If you believe anything is in any way triggering for you, please do not continue reading. </p><p>Reposting of this work is a violation of copyright and will be reported. I also do not permit any translations of my work.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>
  <span>“PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis groaned and pressed his hand over his daughter’s mouth, willing her to stop talking for just a minute. She’d been full on since she’d come out of school bleating about her “new best friend Joshua”, and how they’d sat together in the dinner hall and he’d offered her one of his bestest Monster Munch which must mean they’re best friends for life, of course. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Millie. I said we can buy one pot of glitter. One. So you need to choose whether you want the blue glitter or the red. When you’ve decided, pop it in the basket.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slowly released his hand from her mouth and she nodded, a serious look on her little face now. She stood in front of the display in the middle of the Hobbycraft store, and pushed onto her tiptoes, reaching down a pot of red glitter with a decisive nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This one, please,” she grinned, and when Louis nodded she placed it carefully into the basket with the stencils, new colouring pencils and pack of blank cards Louis had already allowed her to buy. Every year, she made him a homemade Valentine’s Day card, and with the day just a week away, Millie was already getting far too excited. “Oh! What about stickers? I think I’d like some sparkly ones.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Louis sighed, trailing after his daughter who was by now skipping away, the plaits Harry had put in her hair this morning bouncing along with her steps. Louis had thought that once she’d started school, she’d be a little calmer at the weekends, but it seemed the opposite was true. She pinged out of bed at an ungodly hour and was on a constant energy buzz from then until she slumped at bedtime, by which time Louis and Harry were usually exhausted. It was far easier now Louis had Harry to help, though, and he cherished the lay in Harry always made sure he had on a Saturday morning, running downstairs with Millie before she could disturb her daddy’s slumber too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis just watched as Millie carefully spun the rack of stickers around in a circle, deciding which packet she wanted when his phone pinged. He slid it out of the back pocket of his jeans and smiled when he saw it was a text from his lovely husband. He’d nearly cried earlier that morning when he told Louis and Millie had a work thing he couldn’t get of and therefore couldn’t come craft shopping, but Millie had hugged him until he’d smiled, promising him that they’d make something together later that day, after which Harry had left with a big grin, waving as he’d driven away.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Harry: </b>
  <em>
    <span>Hey beautiful, Millie’s not conned you into buying the whole shop yet has she? Miss you both xxx</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>Louis: </b>
  <em>
    <span>Almost, not quite. Probably best you’re not here really, you’d only encourage her! Xxx</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>Harry: </b>
  <em>
    <span>Rude! I’ll be home mid-afternoon. Tell Mills to set up the craft stuff for me. Love you. Xxx</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>Louis: </b>
  <em>
    <span>Love you too, see you later xxx</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that Papa? Send him a picture of me!” Millie grinned, jumping up and down on the spot in excitement for a minute, making Louis laugh and scolded her, telling her to stand still or she’d just be a blur in the photo. She finally stilled, clutching a packet of stickers in front of her chest, giving Louis’ phone a wide grin. Louis quickly attached it to a message and sent it to Harry with the words ‘Your craft-crazy daughter xxx’ underneath. Harry just sent back a string of heart emojis which Louis showed Millie, making her smile yet again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we done?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie leaned over the basket and rifled through it for a minute before she nodded, hands on her hips as she smiled up at Louis. “Yes, thank you Daddy! Can I wheel it to the till?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, just watch where you’re going, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis stayed just a couple of steps behind his daughter as they joined the queue. He smiled over at a parent he recognised from the school run, and listened patiently as Millie nattered away about the game she’d played at school yesterday with her friends for Golden Time. Millie had been in bed by the time Louis had got home yesterday, so this was the first time he was hearing it. Although Harry had told him he really didn’t need to work anymore, Louis enjoyed the little bit of independence working gave him, and he liked being able to buy Harry things that came from his own money, that he’d saved to buy. Harry had been wonderful and had understood, relishing the time he got to spend with his daughter when Louis was at work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, did you find everything you were looking for?” the lady behind the desk said as Louis and Millie walked over, Millie desperately trying to see over the counter as Louis set the basket down, nodding. He turned and picked her up, setting her on his hip as she began to talk excitedly, entertaining the cashier as she always did wherever they went.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did! Your shop is super amazing, like, you have all the best stuff for my projects I do!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well I’m very pleased to hear that,” the cashier said as she scanned Millie’s things through, popping them into a bag. “What are you going to be making?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy, don’t listen for a minute,” Millie instructed, and she wriggled around, pressing her hands against his ears as she spoke, too loudly for Louis not to be able to hear but he pretended he wasn’t listening anyway to placate her. “I’m making Valentine cards for my Daddies, and maybe my new best friend Joshua!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very exciting!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie nodded and released Louis’ squished ears, kissing his cheek as she took the bag. Louis paid on his card, Millie thanking everyone she saw who worked in the shop as they made their way out hand in hand, the bag of things hanging proudly from the crook of Millie’s elbow. Louis carefully lifted her into the car he and Harry had bought just over six months ago and watched as she fastened the straps of her car seat, popping her bag on her lap when she was done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Home, kiddo?” he asked, pulling his own seatbelt across himself as he lowered the volume of the radio using the fancy buttons on the steering wheel. “Mills?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, please,” she said, suddenly a lot quieter than she had been in the shop. “Daddy, can I ask you somethin’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can ask me anything you want to in the whole world, pickle,” Louis replied, driving out of the car park and in the direction of home. He knew it would be a few hours yet before Harry got home, but that didn’t matter. He and Millie could share lunch, and she could make a start on her craft project while they waited. “When you’re ready, love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The radio played in the background as Millie contemplated what she wanted to ask. Louis’ eyes kept flicking up the rearview mirror, noting how she kept chewing on bottom lip, a tell that she was definitely worried about something. By the time he pulled into the driveway, she still hadn’t revealed anything and Louis turned off the engine, unclipping his belt and turning in his seat so he could look at his daughter, her big blue eyes looking up at his own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there something wrong, Millie? You don’t look very happy, and… well, maybe if you tell me, I can help you with whatever’s wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want you to be sad or to hate me,” she confessed, tears suddenly welling in her eyes. Louis felt more alarmed at the sudden show of emotion and immediately hopped out of the car, coming round to Millie’s door and yanking it open, pulling his daughter into his arms. He whispered kind words to her as he lifted her down and took her inside, closing the door behind them as she held his hand, not disappearing from his side. Louis flicked on the lights of the lounge as he walked them inside, pulling her onto his lap as he collapsed onto one of the big squishy sofas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now Daddy’s really worried, love,” Louis confessed, needing to get to the bottom of this as quickly as he could. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie let out a shaky breath as she nodded, swiping the back of one hand across her eyes, mopping up her tears. She cleared her throat, and looked at Louis as she spoke, her voice timid, almost as if she were afraid of her own words. “There’s a Valentine’s dance thingy at school and you’re allowed to bring someone from home to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. You know if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” Millie said, nodding her head, but her bottom lip was wobbling again. “But I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you what, love?” Louis prompted, taking Millie’s hand and kissing the back of it for a second. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to ask Papa to go with me but I don’t want you to be sad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis tried not to look too shocked at Millie’s revelation, but was startled from his own emotions by Millie bursting into noisy sobs, burying her face in the front of Louis’ (Harry’s) jumper. He soothed her, hugging her tight and shushing her sobs until she calmed down a little. He used the sleeve of his jumper to wipe her eyes, and cradled her cheeks in his hands, looking at her, complete and utter love in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can ask Papa, sweetheart, and I’m not sad. I understand that sometimes you want to do things with him, and that’s completely okay! Papa was alright when you got me to go on your school trip with your class, wasn’t he? He wasn’t sad, and I’m not sad about this. In fact, I think it’s completely wonderful, and I think Papa is going to be so, so happy that you’d like to take him to your school dance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think he’ll want to come?” Millie asked the question that had been clearly troubling her, and Louis just grinned, nodding. He knew it was right up Harry’s street, and that his husband would near-collapse from the emotion of being asked to something so important to Millie. “Really really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really really think he will,” Louis grinned, cuddling his daughter tightly again. “You know he loves dressing up, and he’ ll probably make you both have matching nails and stuff. Oh, we could take you out, buy you a new dress to wear!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie gasped, placing her hands on her heart as she realised this. Shopping was one of her favourite things to do, especially when she got something pretty out of it. “Maybe new sparkly shoes so I look like the prettiest girl?! Because Papa will be the prettiest papa there so I need to look just as pretty as he does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re both going to be gorgeous,” Louis confirmed, kissing the top of her head. “And Mills, please don’t be worried to ask me this stuff, okay? I love that you love your Papa so much, it makes my heart all happy. I promise. And we’ll do our own thing on Valentine’s Day like we always do, yeah? You and me and Papa, Valentine’s crumpets and all sorts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes please,” she grinned, leaning in for a quick kiss. “‘Kay, now I gots to go and start my card making! Papa will be home soon and I want to make his and hide it ‘fore he can see it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis chuckled as Millie wriggled down from his lap, grabbing the bag of things she’d left in the hall before she ran back through the lounge to the kitchen, where she always sat to her painting and colouring. Louis did a bit of housework, leaving Millie to her crafts before he decided to make a start on lunch, chopping up some cubes of cheese for Millie when he was surprised to hear the front door open and shut, his husband humming away to himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glanced over to his daughter who had paid the sound no attention at all, her tongue stuck out in concentration as she used the spreader and her PVA glue to create some unknown pattern on the lilac card in front of her, the pot of glitter sat on the table ready to be used. He smiled when his husband appeared in the doorway, leaning against the door jamb, giving Louis and then Millie a lazy smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, love,” Harry mumbled, and Millie’s head shot up, her eyes shining when she realised her Papa was home earlier than she thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Papa! You’re home!” In spite of her gluey hands, Millie flew out of her chair and into Harry’s arms who, all credit to him, didn’t flinch at the little girls hand pressing against his designer shirt. “You not have your meeting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, but they all went out for lunch when they were finished, and I told them I had a husband and a lovely little girl at home who I’d rather have lunch with,” Harry confessed, kissing Millie’s cheek before she wriggled down and back to her table. “What are you doing, love?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry wandered over to Louis and the pair exchanged a soft kiss and a hug before Harry left Louis to the lunch making, sitting and watching Millie hard at work. Millie mumbled a few words Louis couldn’t catch from where he was plating up a salad for Harry, but Harry soon came back over, lifting two mugs down from the cupboard before he filled the kettle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How cute is that?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Louis asked, slicing a tomato and adding it to the small bowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s making a card for Joshua! She’s got a little crush, Lou!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis whirled around quickly, his eyes wide as he met Harry’s gaze, shock clear on his face. “What?! She’s five, Harry, how can she have a bloody crush?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come off it, Lou, it’s cute! It’s so innocent and lovely…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis grumbled to himself as Harry made them tea, his mind whirling with the fact his young daughter was already making Valentine cards for boys at school. He knew it didn’t really mean much beyond the pair being best friends, but even so, he thought he had a few more years to prepare for this just yet. The only thing settling his mind was that at least she was taking Harry to the school dance, and not her ‘best friend Joshua’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, come on, baby,” Harry soothed, sidling up behind Louis and wrapping his arms around his waist, letting one hand slip under the hem of Louis’ jumper, resting against his hip bone. “They’re just friends, yeah? They’re kids, you’ve got nothing to worry about just yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Louis sighed, resting back into Harry’s embrace as Millie let out a squeal, shaking glitter gently over the card. “Just… she’s growing up, Haz, and I don’t think I like it very much. To me, she’s our little girl- what, why did you shiver like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just love hearing that, our little girl, I mean,” Harry admitted through a soft laugh, nuzzling Louis’ neck. “But she is just that, our little girl. She’s giving a boy a card, Lou. That’s all it is. Let her have this, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright,” Louis acquiesced, not happy exactly but a little more mollified. “Let’s go and look at what she’d made then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hand in hand, the pair made their way over to the table, peering over Millie’s shoulders at her creation.  It was a bit of a mess, if truth be told, with glittery stars (at least, that’s what Louis assumed them to be) and hearts and some wobbly kisses drawn at the bottom where Millie had clearly tried to avoid the glue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wrote in it first, like you told me!” she exclaimed, carefully opening it over the newspaper Louis had laid down to protect their kitchen table. “Read it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry cleared his throat and read it aloud, Louis proudly looking down at his daughter’s neat handwriting and pretty spot on spelling. She was aceing Year 1, he was sure of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dear Joshua, You are the best friend in the world, I hope you like the card! Love from Millie, kiss kiss,” Harry read, a proud smile on his face. “Ah, that’s lovely, babe. He’s really going to like it, I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you have liked it when you were five?” she asked, looking up at her dads with a scrunched up expression on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like it now even though I’m much older than five,” Harry chuckled, taking the card and setting it on the dresser to dry. “Go and wash your hands, darling. Daddy and I will clear up, then we can eat!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good! My belly is so super hungry from all my hard work. I don’t know how I go so long at school without eating, it’s like a super power!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was still chatting away to herself as she ran off to the small downstairs bathroom, leaving Louis to crumple up the gluey glittery newspaper while Harry put all her craft things back in their baskets for the next time she got busy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” he mused, and Louis looked up, nodding proudly. “Bless her heart, making him a card like that. I bet it’ll make his day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s a five year old boy, Haz. I’m not sure he’s going to gush over it like we did. But yeah, she’s great. Biggest heart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Course she does, with you as her daddy,” Harry grinned, coming over and dipping Louis into a kiss, only straightening up when Millie groaned as she walked into the room. “Sorry, Mills. Now, did you want Pringles or Wotsits with your lunch?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pringles!” she screeched, running over to the cupboard and snatching the red tube from where it was sat on the floor. “And none for you Daddy, like the tubey thing says, once you pop, you can’t stop!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laughter filled the room and Louis just shrugged in agreement, knowing she was entirely right. Millie and Harry gently teased him all through lunch, keeping the tube of crisps on their side of the table but he didn’t mind. These two were his world, and not even a tube of Pringles could get in the way of that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Later that night</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Close your eyes,” Harry warned as he lifted up the cup to the crown of Millie’s head, rinsing out the shampoo, a hand over her eyes so she wouldn’t get any bubbles in them. “Just a couple more, good girl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie stayed still as a statue, knowing the hair washing part of her bath went quicker if she just sat still and didn’t wriggle around. As much as she loved having long hair that she let Harry practise endless hairstyles on, she didn’t enjoy it being washed or brushed very much, but after a chat with her parents about chopping it off, she decided she wanted to keep it long, and that she’d stop moaning about it. And she mostly stuck to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There we go, all done. Gonna play for a bit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! You staying in here though, Papa?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Course I will,” Harry nodded, reaching for the hand towel to dry off his hands and forearms as he lowered himself onto the closed loo seat, watching his daughter happily splash around in the water. “So. tell me about Joshua.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s super cool! He has these little Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figures, and he let me play with them at lunch time, even when Mrs Mackenzie said they had to stay in his bag. He was naughty and snuck them out! But we played with them, and it was cool, and he said I could take Michaelangelo home, but I said no ‘cause it’s his and Daddy says I shouldn’t have other kids toys because I have so many of my own at home.” She took a big breath at that point, and Harry just chuckled to himself, trying to let all the information he’d just had thrown at him sink in. “He’s my best friend, Papa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I think it’s lovely you’re making so many new friends at school,” Harry smiled, laughing as Millie created a big pile of bubbles on top of her head, the water running down her slim torso. “I wrote a new song today at work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you?” Millie asked, wide eyed and excited. There was nothing she loved more than hearing Harry’s new music, and the pair loved to sing along to his songs as they drove around, especially when Harry got to the school run, his favourite part of the day. “Tell me about it! Was it about me? Or Daddy? Or fishes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fish,” Harry corrected, quickly shaking his head. “No, it’s not about fish. It’s about Daddy, actually. Might put it on the new album if it sounds good when people play the instruments for me. Are we still practicing your guitar tomorrow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie nodded but it caused a big lump of bubbles to tumble from the top of her head and down her face, making her shriek, the loud noise reverberating off the tiled walls. Harry hurried forward with a flannel and wiped her face, laughing at the smile on her face when he removed it, swooping down to press a kiss to her forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you, kiddo,” he said, making Millie smile back at him, her blue eyes shining and so much like Louis’ it made Harry shiver. “Ready to get out? We can go and have hot chocolate before bed if you do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes please,” she said, holding Harry’s hands as she carefully climbed out of the bath, shivering until Harry wrapped a fluffy pink towel around her body, twisting another into a turban on top of her head. “It’s chilly!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then let’s dry you off and get your nightie on,” Harry instructed, making quick work of drying her off and helping her into her nightie and some clean underwear. He unwrapped the towel on her head and towel dried her head, leaving her long, dark locks trailing down her back, hurrying her into her bedroom. “Want me to plait it when it’s dry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and sat patiently on her stool while Harry dried her locks with skill that had impressed Louis when he’d first had a go at it, telling him that years of watching hair stylists work their magic on his hair must have rubbed off on him. When it was dry, Harry wove it into a long plait that hung down the middle of her back, fastening it with a hair elastic and kissing the top of her head before she jumped up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we go and have hot chocolate now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Daddy’s downstairs so go and give him a cuddle while I make it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I wanna help,” Millie pouted, giving Harry the puppy eyes she knew her papa could never resist. “Please? I’ll be super careful, and listen so good!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Harry agreed, hanging up the wet towels before he followed her downstairs, smiling at the sight of Louis curled up on the sofa, a blanket on his lap. “You okay, baby?” Harry stooped low enough to kiss Louis gently, loving how even after two years of being a couple, Louis could send butterflies fluttering through his belly. Harry lost himself in the kiss for a moment, only breaking apart reluctantly when Millie yelled for him in the kitchen. “I’ll be back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis nodded and Harry smiled as he walked into the kitchen, seeing how Millie had set out their three mugs in a row. His and Louis’ ‘Mr Tomlinson’ mugs were next to each other, a wedding gift from Harry’s sister, as well as Millie’s favourite ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ mug that Harry had bought her when he’d accidentally dropped one of her mugs on moving day. The bag of marshmallows was next to them, and the carton of milk was on the worktop, Millie barefoot and patiently waiting with a soft smile on her face. She looked tired, so Harry quickly set to work, heating up the milk in a saucepan, letting Millie stir it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good girl. I can’t wait until you’re old enough for me to teach you how to cook,” Harry smiled, reaching the hot chocolate powder down from the cupboard. “Okay, come here, you can stir in the powder, sweetie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry assisted her in getting as much of the powder into the mugs as she could, the little girl beaming when she finished off Louis’ drink with a handful of marshmallows. Harry told her to take in a few biscuits while he carried the three mugs in, setting them on the table as Millie curled up in Louis’ lap, struggling to keep her eyes open now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I put some cold milk in yours, Mil,” Harry said softly, muting the television. She was munching on a piece of shortbread, the crumbs falling over her lap but Harry couldn’t bring himself to say something. He sipped on his own drink as Millie whispered something in Louis’ ear, making his husband nod and smile at Harry, giving him a wink that made Harry frown, wondering what the two of them were cooking up. “What are you up to, hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I sit with you, Papa?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded and patted his thighs, trying not to wince when Millie clambered on him a little eagerly, a knee nearly going where it really wasn’t meant to. Soon, though, he was comfortable, and Louis chucked over a spare blanket, letting Harry wrap up himself and his daughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you just want a cuddle or is there something else?” Harry asked, keen to get to the bottom of it before Millie fell asleep, which he had a feeling wasn’t going to be too far away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to ask you something,” Millie confessed, her voice a little raspy with tiredness, but Harry knew she would do this before she fell asleep, a determined little girl when she put her mind to it. “But I really, really, really want you to say yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll find out my answer when you ask me,” Harry encouraged, catching Louis’ eye across the room. Louis just gave him a small smile, revealing nothing, and Harry turned his attention back to Millie, waiting for her to say something else. “You know you don’t have to be scared to ask me for anything, love?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I just want this so much my belly feels all wobbly,” Millie admitted, making Harry smile, stroking her little leg to offer some comfort. “Okay, Daddy says you’ll say yes so I’m just gonna say it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded, waiting patiently as Millie worked up the courage, fidgeting more in Harry’s lap until finally, she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a school dance for Valentine’s Day next week, and we can take someone from home, and I want you to come with me. Pretty please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry sat still, Millie’s words washing over him. His mouth felt dry, and his heart was pounding in his chest as he realised what his little girl was asking of him. He came back to reality, realising he hadn’t answered, and that Millie’s chin was wobbling in a panic that Harry was going to say no. He hurriedly scooped her up into a cuddle, squeezing a little too tightly for a moment as he felt overwhelmed with emotion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh love, I would be honoured! I’d absolutely love to take you, I can’t believe you’ve asked me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re my Papa and I love you so much,” she shrugged, blushing slightly now. “I asked Daddy if he minded and he said no. I really want to go with you and have matching outfits and stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Definitely. I’d love that so much. Thank you Millie, for asking me. When is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie looked to Louis then, unsure of exactly when it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, Valentine’s is next Saturday, and the dance is Friday night at Millie’s school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfect. I have nothing else on Friday so I can spend all day making myself look handsome enough to take you to your dance. Right, finish up your drink, lovely, it’s bedtime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and Harry leaned forward to grab her cup, pleased the liquid was cool enough to drink. Just fifteen minutes later, Millie was sound asleep on Harry’s chest, her hand gripping his t-shirt as she dozed. Harry shut his own eyes but opened them when the sofa dipped beside him, Louis sliding his hand into Harry’s and resting his head on Harry’s free shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was so nervous to ask you,” Louis revealed, running his toes up and down Harry’s bare ankle. “She spoke to me earlier about it. She was worried I’d be upset, but she was completely adamant it was you she wanted to take.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not upset?” Harry asked, sure that his husband wouldn’t be jealous at all, but he had to ask. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not. I love that she wants you to go with her. She loves you so much, Haz. I was always scared of the idea of bringing someone else into her life, of forcing her to have another parent. But she just… she loves you, and not because she has to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry felt himself tear up at Louis’ heartfelt words, and he found Louis’ wedding ring, rubbing it gently for a moment. “And I love her, so so much, Louis. She’s the nicest, kindest, just… she’s the best little girl ever, and it’s a privilege to be able to say she’s mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie wriggled in her sleep, and it made Harry realise his little girl needed to go to bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wanna go to bed?” he asked as he stood up, carefully cradling Millie’s body against his own. “I’m pretty worn out, we could just have a read or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis nodded and followed as Harry gently climbed the stairs, nudging the door to Millie’s bedroom open with his foot. He manoeuvered himself so he could put one knee on her bed, laying her down on it. She stirred but just curled up as Harry covered her with her duvet, kissing her head softly and making sure her cuddly toys were next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, princess,” he whispered, placing another kiss to her warm cheek. He stood up to make way for Louis, who did the same as him before they stood together, arms around each others waists, just watching her sleep. “She looks so little when she sleeps,” Harry murmured, and Louis just nodded in agreement. They crept out of the room and Harry shut her door behind him as Louis slipped into their own bedroom, flicking on their bedside lamps. “Louis?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis stopped where he was undressing, staring at Harry who was nervously playing with the cross of his necklace. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and left it in a pile on the floor as Harry contemplated his words, wanting to make sure they came out right, and not a mess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I don’t want you to think I’m trying to replace you or something,” he began, his words coming out more clumsily than he had hoped. “Like, with Millie and the dance. I know before I came along you would’ve been the one to take her-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis cut him off not with words, but with his lips. Harry immediately relaxed as Louis’ hands found the curve of his waist, kneading his soft skin for a moment as his eyes fluttered shut, relishing the closeness and intimacy with his husband.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a daft thing, you know that?” Louis mumbled, pressing a few more soft kisses to Harry’s lips which he accepted readily. “I don’t think I could ever think that you’re trying to replace me. By now, you’re as much Millie’s dad as I am. She wanted you to take you to the dance, Haz. You, not me. And it’s okay for her to want to do things with you. I’m going to enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet watching my footie while you’re entertaining a room of six year old boys and girls.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit. Didn’t think of that,” Harry laughed, tugging Louis in the direction of their bed. “But seriously… you’re okay with this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and I don’t want to hear you worry about it again, babe. It’s not like we’re not going to have our own fun Valentine’s night, is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have plans for me, Tomlinson?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis looked back with a smirk, settling himself on top of Harry’s hips, leaning forward with his hands on his chest. “Mayyyyybe…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry shuddered with the thought of what Louis might have lined up for him, and he didn’t bother holding in a moan as Louis rolled his hips downwards, making his arousal pretty obvious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want a trial run tonight?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry’s answering groan was pretty much all Louis needed to hear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>****</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>2 days until the dance</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Millie, you’ve got four to try on here, love. I think that’s enough for now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I want to try this one,” she pouted, giving Louis the doe eyes that usually worked, but he wasn’t going to be swayed today. He was already slightly regretting taking Millie out shopping after school for a dress for the Valentine’s dance given she was being a pain, and his patience was wearing thin. Harry had offered to take her, but Millie had been adamant Harry couldn’t see her dress until they got ready for the dance itself. “Daddy, please-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said no. If you really don’t like any of these, then maybe we’ll try it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” she said, looking sad as she stomped off, looking at a rack of tiaras and other children’s items that Louis was determined not to buy as well. Both he and Harry were both adamant that Millie wasn’t going to grow up spoilt, despite the comfortable lifestyle that Harry’s money afforded them, and Louis in particular was keen Millie not expect anything more than her friends had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood to the side, the dresses draped over his forearm as Millie wandered around for a few more moments before she sidled back over to Louis, a bit of an apologetic expression on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, love?” Louis questioned, looking down at his daughter and the messy plait she now sported, nothing like the nice one that Harry had sat and done this morning while Millie had scoffed her Coco Pops.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry. Please may I try on the dresses I choosed already?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, sweetheart,” Louis said, smiling down as Millie threw her arms around his waist, squeezing him tightly for a minute. “Let’s go to the dressing room. Now, you’ll have to go into the girls ones so I’ll wait outside and you can pop out and see me to zip you up, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“‘Kay Daddy, I’m a big girl anyway, I can get myself all dressed up pretty!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis smiled and took Millie’s hand, following the signs around the shop floor to the changing rooms where a young shop worker stood, smiling at the pair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How many items?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Four, please!” Millie trilled, pointing to the dresses on Louis’ arm. “Thank you so much!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like me to take them through for you?” the lady asked, and Louis nodded, thanking her quietly as he sat on one of the comfy chairs outside, calling to Millie that he was waiting there for her. He could hear his daughter singing away to herself as she stripped off her school uniform, a sock skidding out from under the curtain which made him chuckle. He tapped his feet on the floor as he waited until finally, the curtain swished open and Millie appeared in a red frilly number Louis wasn’t keen on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you think, love?” he asked, stepping over to Millie and zipping up the back, grateful her hair was out of the way. “You like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really,” she said, looking at her reflection in the mirror which was on one of the long walls in front of the pair. “Don’t like all the twirly whirly bits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine. You can say you don’t like it. Let me unzip you and you can pop another on. Bring this one back out so I can hang it up, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and hurried away, pulling the curtain shut behind her again as Louis heard hangers clanging around. She soon emerged again in a mint green number, the red dress balled up. Louis snatched it and laid it on the chair next to him, complimenting Millie’s choice this time. She seemed happier with this but still not sold on it, so he sent her back to change again, hoping it might be third time lucky. As he was hanging up the red dress on its hanger, his phone vibrated in his pocket and he smiled when he saw it was his husband, no doubt checking up on the pair of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Harry: </b>
  <span>Everything going alright? Found the dress yet? Actually, that sounds like you’re looking for a wedding dress and I’m not old enough for that yet! Xxx</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Louis: </b>
  <span>Haha, me neither! But nope, this is like torture, I swear. She’s so fussy and wants it to be perfect. Save me! Xxx</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Harry: </b>
  <span>Man up, Tomlinson! My daughter has to look her best you know! Xx</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Harry: </b>
  <span>Just kidding. She’d look amazing if she went in her jammies. Love you both. I’ll try to be home for tea. Xxxxx</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Louis: </b>
  <span>Love you too xxx</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Louis finished tapping out his final text, Millie emerged once more, and this time, Louis bit back a gasp. Her hands were clasped in front of her, she was barefoot, and she had the most beautiful smile on her face. All Louis could see was how beautiful she looked, and he almost felt himself tearing up as she came closer, coming to a stop in front of him, one of her hands stroking the soft fabric of the dress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh sweetheart…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love it. I want this one please. It’s perfect, it’s like a Princess dress…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dress itself was an electric blue colour, quite striking, but Millie pulled it off easily. Her eyes popped in the colour, and the little white hearts all over the dress broke up the blocks of colours and added a Valentine’s feel to it. The hem was frilly enough that it looked pretty, but not so much that Millie didn’t like it. Louis thought it was perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please may I buy this one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis reached for the price tag and flipped it over, pleased to see it was only £24.99, nothing too extortionate, so he nodded, holding her little hand in his for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may, love. You look beautiful. Papa’s going to be so proud to take you to the dance in that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thank you,” Millie replied shyly, doing a little twirl in front of Louis. “I’ll get back in my uniform, then we can go home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you need some pretty new shoes to go with that dress,” Louis said, and Milie turned around, a wide smile on her face before she flung herself at Louis and into his arms, muttering ‘thank you, thank you, thank you’ under her breath as she squeezed around his neck. “Mills, can’t breathe!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” she laughed as she pulled away, her little cheeks pink. “I’ll get changed! Then shoe shopping!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glutton for punishment,” Louis mumbled to himself as he hung the mint green dress Millie had now dismissed, grateful when she came back out just a few minutes later. Her cardigan was inside out, and one sock was pulled up to her knee, the other sagging around her ankle but Louis didn’t mind. They thanked the lady outside the changing rooms, handing her the three dresses they didn’t want before they walked to the display of shoes, Millie pondering them all quietly, reaching out and touching the shiny leather. “See anything you like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched her little hand shoot out to a patent white pair, her fingers playing with the buckle as she looked back at him, biting nervously at her lip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like these?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, love. Is there a size 12 there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked through the bright numbers on the hangers and pulled out a pair in the right size, hurrying over to the small stools dotted around. Millie kicked off her school shoes and pushed her foot into the white shoe, grinning when it fitted perfectly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis knelt down in front of her and tugged at the strap, pulling it across her foot before he threaded it through the silver buckle, fastening it into place before he helped her into the second one, smiling up as she hopped to her feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Walk a little bit then, check they’re comfortable,” he instructed, pleased when she did just as she was asked. She skipped along a bit as she returned to Louis, looking pleased as punch. “They’re okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfect! I love them, and they match the hearts on my new dress!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They do,” Louis agreed, helping her out of them while she put her school shoes back on. “I think that’s everything now! And Papa’s making sure he gets his clothes in time too. You’re both going to look fabulous. I’m quite jealous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will miss you,” Millie said adamantly as she and Louis made their way over to the till, joining the back of the queue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No you won’t, you’re going to be having so much fun with Papa which is just what I want,” Louis said, pulling Millie into his side. “You’re both going to have a wonderful time together, and best of all, you get to watch Papa’s daft dad dancing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie’s eyes grew comically wide at that, frantically shaking her head. “Oh no! I didn’t think of that! He’s not going to really do that in front of my friends, is he? In front of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Joshua</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably,” Louis chuckled, heading over to the next free till and laying the dress and shoes down on the counter, giving the man behind a small smile. “Bless him, don’t make him feel bad though. You know he’s proud of his dance moves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie laughed too and waited patiently as Louis paid for the items, taking the bag with a bright “thank you!” as she skipped along, the bag bumping her leg as they headed out of the shop and to the car park. She set the bag next to her on the backseat as she sat safely in her carseat, chattering away to Louis as he drove them through the end of day traffic home. She shrieked loudly when she saw Harry’s car already in the driveway as they got home, although she still waited for Louis to let her out, knowing the child locks were still on the back doors of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want Papa to see!” she said as Louis opened the front door, letting Millie step inside before he joined her, kicking off his shoes, hearing Harry singing away somewhere in the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Run upstairs then, pop it in your wardrobe and come back down for a drink before dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kay, Daddy!” she cried, running upstairs as quickly as she could. Louis wandered through the house until he stopped at the doorway to Millie’s playroom, smiling at the sight of his husband dancing away as he sorted out a few piles of toys scattered around the floor, shelving them or shoving them into baskets on the shelving unit they’d got Millie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Having fun there, love?” Louis teased, and Harry whirled around, a hand pressed against his heart as he looked slightly alarmed for a moment. “Sorry, did I scare you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a bit… world of my own,” he mumbled, stumbling over to where Louis was standing, tugging him closer by the belt loops on his jeans. Louis went easily, smirking up at his husband before he pressed their lips together, enjoying the closeness with Harry for a few seconds before Millie came and interrupted. Louis’ hands found Harry’s hips and slipped under his baggy shirt, pressing his tongue into Harry’s mouth for a second, savouring the taste of his husband, tasting a hint of coffee on him. Louis reluctantly pulled away, nipping playfully at Harry’s bottom lip for a second, making his husband smile. “Mmmm, that was a nice welcome back. Missed me, did you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a bit,” Louis mumbled, hugging Harry and resting his head on his husband’s broad chest. “At the risk of sounding super soppy, I miss you whenever I’m not with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will never stop you being my super soppy Lou,” Harry said, slipping his hands into the back pockets of Louis’ jeans, squeezing his arse for a second. “Where’s my girl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hiding stuff,” Louis said, finally pulling away from Harry, glancing around the room. “Hey, I said I’d tidy up later on, you didn’t have to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind. Got back early from the meeting so I stuck a casserole in the oven and thought I’d do a bit of housework.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And people on Twitter think your life is all glamorous photo shoots and plane rides,” Louis chuckled to himself, bending down to pick up a puzzle and sliding it back into place on the shelf unit behind him. “If only they knew the truth, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I happen to love this side of my life,” Harry said, waving as Millie ran into the room, jumping into his arms. Louis’ heart felt full as he watched Millie hug her Papa, the pair exchanging some quiet words before Harry lowered her to the floor, kissing the top of her head quickly. “Gonna get a drink for Mills, want one, Lou?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tea would be lovely,” Louis called out, following his husband and daughter into the kitchen, settling next to Millie at the table. “So am I allowed to tell Papa anything about what we got today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie shook her head almost violently, glaring at Louis like he was about to spill the beans anyway. “No way! It’s a surprise, I told you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, chill out,” Louis said, watching as Harry set down a glass of milk in front of Millie, a blue stripey straw inside the tall plastic beaker. “Sorry, Harold, no spoilers from me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that’s alright, I can’t wait to see it before we head to school on Friday, sweetheart,” Harry said, putting a big smile back onto Millie’s face again. “I bet whatever you bought looks perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy said I looked like a Princess,” she said, giving Harry a gappy toothed grin. “And I got new Princess shoes too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, you’re so lucky! I wonder if you’re as excited as I am… actually, nope. No way, you can’t be as excited as I am-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“YES I AM! I’m way more excited, I definitely win!” Millie screeched, making Louis wince as the sound was right next to his own ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, I do! I wanna win,” Harry teased, and laughed as Millie got up, flinging herself around the table and into Harry’s lap. “Oh, alright, alright! How about we say we’re both super excited?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie pondered it for a moment before she nodded, a satisfied little smile clear on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, alright! We can both be super excited together!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry’s eyes met Louis’ across the table and they smiled softly at each other. Louis was more than certain there was nowhere in the world he’d ever rather be than right here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later that night, Millie was sound asleep in her own bed. She’d allowed Harry into her bedroom at last to kiss her goodnight, but only once he’d signed a letter she’d scribbled in her beloved felt tips, making him promise he wouldn’t be going in her wardrobe or even close to it until the dance was over. Louis had smothered a grin as he watched Harry sign it, serious expressions on both their faces as Millie took the signed piece of paper, grabbing a blob of blu-tack and sticking it to her bedroom door underneath the letters that spelt out her name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So have you decided if you’re getting ready here on Friday?” Louis asked, watching as Harry rubbed his face cream into his skin in their ensuite bathroom, the door wide open as he stood in front of the mirror in his black boxers. Harry just shook his head, wiping his hands on the hand towel before he flicked off the light, strolling back over to Louis and their bed. He removed his jewellery - bar the cross necklace he always wore and his wedding ring - and slipped under the covers, curling up against Louis’ warm body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so. Then I thought I’d pop out, grab a couple of bits and then come back and pick her up, make her feel all special, you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis’ heart skipped a beat at Harry’s kind suggestions and he nodded, dragging Harry closer, his head resting on Louis’ bare chest now. “That sounds wonderful, babe. She’ll love that. Oh, do I get to see what you’ve got to wear?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” Harry said, popping the p, teasing his husband. Louis groaned and tangled his fingers in Harry’s hair for a second, tugging gently. “Oi, don’t do that, my locks need to be perfect for Friday. But no, you’ll see it when Millie does. Don’t want to ruin the surprise, you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You going to make me sign a letter promising I won’t steal a peek too?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry laughed and nuzzled Louis’ chest, his fingertips running lightly over the spare hair on Louis’ torso. “Nah, I’ll trust ya. I’m just… I’m glad I can make this happen for her, you know? She deserves to feel like the most special girl ever. I mean… I sometimes wonder if I’m doing okay at this whole daddying thing, and then I see her smile like she did earlier on and I just think I’m doing okay. She’s happy and that’s all I can ask for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis answered Harry’s heartfelt comments with a kiss to his lips, rolling his body slightly until they were face to face, shoving one of his legs between Harry’s longer ones. “You’re doing more than okay. You’re fucking amazing at being Millie’s Papa I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. I’m glad you think so. It's important to me I get it right, you know? I only get one shot at being a dad, and I want to do it right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis felt his tummy flip over at those words, and filed them away to bring up another time, when he was a bit more awake and prepared to start that sort of discussion with his husband. “You’re doing it right. You really are. Now, I’ve got an early so I’m leaving at about six. You alright to get Mills to school?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Course,” Harry said, yawning widely before he sat up, reaching over to flick off the bedside light. “I made your packed lunch, it’s in the fridge, make sure you grab it before you leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Too good to me,” Louis muttered, burrowing into Harry’s arms even further, so there wasn’t an inch of space between them. “G’night. Love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you more,” Harry whispered, clearly falling asleep. “Night Lou.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The day of the dance</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi, sit still,” Lottie chided gently as Millie wriggled in her seat. The dance was due to start in just over an hour, and Lottie had been drafted in to sort out Millie’s hair since Harry wasn’t allowed to be around for the preparation process. Louis personally thought it was a little over the top given it was a school disco, not her leavers prom, but he was determined to let his little girl have her moment. He lazed on her bed, bare feet crossed at the ankles as he listened to his daughter chat with her auntie. “Now, I’m going to straighten it, okay? I know you don’t like me doing that, Lou, but it’s a one off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, alright,” Louis said, focusing his attention back on the picture book he was reading for some unknown reason. He wasn’t too interested in the ins and outs of the make up and hair style his daughter was having, as long as it was age appropriate, and he trusted his sister to make sure that was the case. “You excited, Mills?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Super duper wuper excited!” she said, nodding her head until Lottie chastised her softly, reminding her to sit still now the straighteners had heated up. “Is Papa getting dressed yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No idea,” Louis shrugged, putting the book back onto Millie’s shelf. “Want me to go and check?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, please. Then come back and help me get dressed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought Auntie Lotts would help you with that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I want you to,” Millie said with a pout, looking a little worried as her eyes locked on Louis in the mirror. “Please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis walked over, and, avoiding the hot straighteners Lottie was wielding, bent over and kissed his daughter on the cheek. “Alright, lovely. I’ll be back in a minute. Sit still and let Auntie Lotts sort your hair then I’ll be here, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and grinned, and Louis slipped out of the room, smiling to himself as Millie immediately launched into chatter with her auntie, no doubt talking her ear off. Harry and Louis’ bedroom door was closed, so he rapped his knuckles on the wood, waiting until Harry called him before he entered, stopping still when his eyes landed on his husband.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry smiled over at him, a slightly shy smile that Louis knew he only displayed when he was genuinely unsure of himself. At that moment, Louis had no idea why Harry would doubt his outfit at all. “You like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, uh-” Louis cleared his throat before he nodded, hoping Harry could see how much he loved it without the use of his words. “Yeah. You look… shit, you’re stunning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He allowed his eyes to roam up and down Harry’s body, at the clothes adorning it before he looked over his husband’s face, smiling fondly at him. Harry had chosen a dark blue shirt with hearts all over it, not unlike Millie’s own dress, which Louis liked. He had form fitting black trousers that were beautifully tight across his thighs and widened into a bit of a flare near the bottom, where a pair of Harry’s favourite patent black Gucci boots were sticking out. He looked absolutely gorgeous, and Louis couldn’t believe he’d made such an effort for a six year old’s school dance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Louis… Lou!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis blinked quickly, coming back to reality, blushing slightly at being caught staring at his husband. “Sorry. You just… you look amazing. Millie’s really going to love that shirt…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think so?” Harry asked, looking down and smoothing his large hands over the fabric across his stomach. “I wasn’t sure if it was too much, or too cliché…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No way, not at all! It’s beautiful. I love what you’ve done with your hair too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis stepped closer and pushed onto his tiptoes, kissing Harry softly at first, but he couldn’t resist Harry when he looked like this, tugging Harry down into a much deeper kiss, his tongue grazing against Harry’s hungrily. Harry moaned as Louis tangled his fingers in Harry’s curls, moving his head where he wanted him as Harry’s hands pressed into Louis’ hips, holding him close. It was getting too heated when Harry finally pulled away, kissing down Louis’ neck as he mumbled softly, protesting their kissing slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lou… you’re gonna ruin my hair…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really not worried about that,” Louis muttered, dropping his head back to give Harry better access, whining when Harry kissed him once more and stood up, straightening out his now rumpled shirt. He could see Harry’s cheeks were flushed, and his lips were pinker than they’d been a moment ago, and a flash of pride ran through him at the thought he could still rile up his husband so easily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you,” Louis whispered, bringing Harry’s hand to his lips and kissing it before he reluctantly let him go, watching as Harry wandered over to his dresser, choosing a few pieces of jewellery to wear, standing still while Louis put his pearl necklace around his neck, fiddling with the rings he’d chosen to wear on his right hand, leaving his left hand bare aside from his wedding band. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glad you think so,” Harry grinned, dimpling at Louis. “I actually need to pop out for something, you think I have time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Definitely. If you sneak out now, Millie won’t see you, she’s having her hair done at the moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded as he headed over towards the door, his hand on the silver handle. “Alright. Well, I’ll be back in about twenty minutes, then we should get going. The car park at school isn’t big, and if we have to park a little way away, I don’t want to be too late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis walked downstairs with Harry and kissed him before he left the house, leaving Louis alone with his daughter and sister. He hurried back upstairs and walked into Millie’s bedroom, smiling widely at the sight of her hair. Lottie had straightened it and pulled it up into a high ponytail, her long hair draping down her back. She had a sparkly clip affixed in it, and she looked beautiful already. Lottie had dabbed a little light pink gloss on her lips, and Louis could spy a sliver of silver eyeshadow on her lids, just enough to make her blue eyes pop, but not too much for her age. He mouthed a ‘thank you’ to his sister who just nodded, tidying away her mess as Millie stood still, letting Louis appraise her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow. You look like a proper young lady right now,” he said, opening his arms as Millie ran into them, hugging her tightly. “You want to get your dress on? Papa said you need to get going soon so we should get you ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, and the three Tomlinson’s kept chatting as Louis helped her out of the nightie she’d put on after her shower. Millie ran over to her wardrobe, reaching her dress down from the rail, stretching up on her tiptoes to grab it. She laid it on the bed and Lottie admired it for a minute before Louis unzipped it, careful not to dislodge Millie’s hairdo as he helped it onto her tiny frame. He zipped it up at the back while Lottie fetched the new white tights Louis had got, placing her sparkly shoes on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In no time at all, Millie was dressed, and Louis added the final touch, which was a soft white cardigan she already had in her wardrobe, keen she wouldn’t get cold. She was only six years old, but she looked older in her outfit, yet somehow age appropriate at the same time. The dress was perfect, sitting just below her knees, and the shoes shone in the bright lights of her bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think Papa will think I look okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’ll think you look like a Princess, I promise,” Louis vowed, swallowing down the lump in his throat that had quickly appeared at the sight of his daughter looking so beautiful and grown up. “Want to go downstairs and wait for him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, and held Lottie’s hand as they headed downstairs together, Millie smoothing out her dress behind her before she sat on the sofa watching Blue Peter, which was playing on the telly. It wasn’t long before the doorbell rang, and Louis’ skipped a beat in excitement, Millie looking over at him with shining eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on, you can answer it,” Louis encouraged, following her as she practically ran through the house, flicking on lights as she went. She yanked the door open, and squealed when it opened and revealed Harry stood there, handsome in his outfit with an added blazer, some flowers in his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are for you, sweetheart,” Harry said softly, handing a small bunch of white flowers to Millie, whose cheeks were bright pink now, looking up at Louis as if she couldn’t believe it. “Do you like them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sniffed the small bouquet and nodded before she stepped forward, hugging Harry around his waist. When she pulled back, she gasped as if she’d just noticed something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your shirt is like my dress! Look!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled at the fabric of her dress, pointing at the hearts, and then at Harry’s matching shirt, which Louis had by now realised was Burberry. All of a sudden she frowned, glaring at Harry, her free hand on her hip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you look at my dress when you signed the promise not to peek?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t, I swear! I went and got my shirt the other day, we must just be super in tune with each other, love…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Millie contemplated this for a moment before she gave a nod, seemingly satisfied with Harry’s explanation. “Okay! Thank you for my flowers, Papa. they’re so pretty. Daddy, can I put them in the vase in the kitchen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, love,” Louis said, laughing as Millie skipped away, screeching at her aunt that her Papa had bought her pretty flowers. “That was a lovely thing you did for her. You always manage to make her feel special.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s my little girl, and she’s the most special girl in the world to me,” Harry said, suddenly turning and bending down to pick something up off the floor before he brandished it at Louis with a grin. “And these are for the most special man in the world to me.” He handed Louis a bouquet identical to Millie’s, making Louis bite his bottom lip, grinning to himself. “I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, too,” Louis replied, sniffing the soft perfume of the flowers. “Not sure anyone has ever bought me flowers before…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I definitely need to change that,” Harry said softly, pulling Louis in for a kiss. “I got her something else, actually…”  He picked up another small box from the floor and dislodged the lid enough to expose the item inside, a white flower sewn to a ribbon that Millie could wear around her wrist. “You think she’ll like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like what?” came an excited voice, grabbing at Harry’s arm so she could see. He asked her to be careful before he lowered it enough, showing her what was inside. “Is that for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was jumping up and down in excitement now, and Louis thought his heart was going to explode with love as he watched Harry talk to their daughter gently, fastening the ribbon around her left wrist as Millie watched on with stars in her eyes. She hugged tightly around Harry’s neck as he stood up, wrapping her legs around his waist as she whispered something to him, making him smile broadly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, Lou. Millie and I are going to head off because we don’t want to be late, do we sweetheart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope! Papa and me are always on time! Not late like you Daddy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis winced and held his hand over his heart, pretending to sob, making Millie burst out into what could only be described as a cackle, the noise loud and startling. “That’s mean and complete lies!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, alright, Lou,” Harry chuckled, setting Millie down onto the floor. “See you later, Lottie, thanks for making my daughter look so beautiful!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re welcome, Haz,” she said, standing beside her brother now. “Have fun, you two! I’m gonna stay and keep Lou company for a while.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds good,” Harry said as he brought her into his arms, giving her a quick hug. He kissed Louis slowly while Lottie adjusted Millie’s hair for a second, giving them a brief moment of privacy. “Alright, we’re off. Love you Louis, bye!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hand in hand, Harry and Millie headed over to his Range Rover, and he lifted her gently into her seat, not wanting her to trip and ruin her dress. Louis loved the little things Harry did to look after their little girl, and he waved frantically as Harry pulled out of the driveway, beeping the horn as the car became a speck in the distance, finally disappearing as he turned around the corner. With a sigh, Louis turned around and closed the front door, shivering slightly thanks to the cold outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want to watch some trashy TV and have a beer?” Lottie asked, and Louis just chuckled and nodded, throwing his arm around his sister’s shoulder and heading into the house. Maybe a night in with his sister wouldn’t be so bad after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold my hand across the car park please, it’s quite busy,” Harry said as he lifted Millie down from the car, watching as she fussed over her dress with a small smile on his face. “You really do look beautiful, love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she said with a grin before giving Harry a twirl, almost toppling over. “Oops!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Careful… don’t want to ruin that beautiful dress before we get inside. Do you want your coat or do you think you’ll be okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be alright,” she replied, grabbing Harry’s hand and starting to drag him across the car park. “I wonder if Joshua and my other friends are here yet.” They stopped as they joined the back of the small queue to get into the school. Harry felt a little self-conscious in his rather flamboyant shirt, but Millie loved it and that was the main thing. His eyes quickly darted around and he was pleased to see just as many fathers there as there were mothers, and perhaps even a few grandparents too. It was quite sweet how excited the children were, and Harry squeezed Millie’s hand slightly as the people in front of them went inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello Millie, hi Harry,” Mr Montague, the school’s head teacher, smiled, all dressed in a tuxedo, which made Harry feel he wasn’t the only one who’d put in a lot of effort. “If you wouldn’t mind signing the pair of you in, fire regulations and all that,” the man said, and Harry nodded, stepping over and picking up the pen. He began to write on the next two lines and felt Millie nosying at what he was doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! You putted Harry Tomlinson again! I like it so much when we have matching names!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry’s eyes flicked up and met the head teacher’s, the pair smiling at Millie’s innocent comment. He signed his signature quickly at the end of the line and led Millie inside, conscious of the growing line behind them. Millie, of course, knew where she was going and led them into the school hall, which was lavishly decorated by the PTA for the occasion. Heart shaped helium balloons were strung from the wallbars at one end of the room, the disco ball that hung from the ceiling was send beads of light everywhere, and pop music from the charts was playing in the background.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It looks amazing!” Millie said, looking around in wonder. “They got food and stuff, and- oh my goodness, look at Miss James!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry looked around the room until his eyes landed on Millie’s teacher Miss James, who was wearing a stunning pink ballgown, her hair swept up into some sort of posh do Harry had no idea the name of. He allowed himself to be tugged across the room, smiling shyly at the woman as Millie began to gabble away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your dress is so pretty, Miss! Do you like mine?! Daddy took me shopping for it and my new shoes, look-” she stuck a foot out then, showing off her shoes before she continued. “And then tonight I seed that my Papa’s shirt matches my dress, but we didn’t even plan it ‘cause I made him sign a promise that he wouldn’t sneak a look, and he said he keeped his promise!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Miss James just smiled at the little girl’s enthusiasm, entirely used to the excited babble of young children thanks to her job. “Well, I think that’s wonderful that you’re matching. And I love your dress, Millie, you look very pretty tonight. And your Papa looks very handsome too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy said that,” she said, nodding knowingly. “I think he looks like a Prince, which makes me a Princess!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry just stood there as Millie hugged him tightly around his waist, loving how his daughter could so easily indulge in conversation with adults, entirely at ease. “Millie, let’s leave Miss James to it, I’m sure she has lots of other children to say hello too. Maybe we could go and look at the food?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes! My belly’s so hungry, Daddy wouldn’t let me eat when I put my dress on ‘cause he said I’d spill and ruin it! I’m not clumsy like he is…” Millie was marching ahead of Harry now, heading over to the table full of party food, a stack of pink and red plates off to the side with some black napkins there ready to wipe up spills and clean off sticky fingers. The song in the background changed to one by Little Mix, and Harry could see Millie’s ponytail swinging side to side as she danced in her own little world to the track. “May I have somethin’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may, darling,” Harry said, pleased she’d thought to ask. “Can you get me a few things too, please? You know what I like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Already thought of that, Papa!” she said, holding aloft the two plates she picked up. “You could get drinkies while I getted us some nibbley bits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Harry smiled, stepping away and waiting behind the parents already getting drinks for themselves and their children. He took the chance to send Louis a quick text, telling him they were there safe and sound and already having a good time, and received a picture message back of Louis and Lottie pulling silly faces on the sofa, the younger woman cuddled up to her brother. Harry just sent back a couple of kisses before he popped his phone away, keen that tonight was about Millie, and he didn’t need his phone for that.  “Oh, thanks a lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re welcome,” the small child in front of him said, handing Harry two plastic red cups. “You’re Millie’s Papa.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am,” Harry confirmed, filling two cups with orange juice. “And you’re Emma, aren’t you? You’re Millie’s friend from art club.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Emma blushed and nodded, looking up as another man approached, resting his hands on the small girl’s shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, I’m Dan, Emma’s dad,” he said, holding out a hand for Harry to shake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry,  Millie’s dad,” he confirmed, smiling at the other man who now looked at Harry with recognition. “Emma was just saying hi, I remember her from when I’ve picked up Mills from Art Club at school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Conversation flowed easily between the two men as Harry held onto the drinks, keeping an eye on Millie who was by now chatting to her friends at the food table. After a few minutes, she came over, tongue stuck out in concentration as she focused on not dropping the food on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Mr Dan!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, Millie,” the other man said, clearly familiar with Harry’s daughter. “Your dress is very pretty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She twirled and thanked the other man before setting Harry’s plate down and starting to eat. Harry excused himself and carried both cups of juice in one hand and his plate in the other over to a bench, where he and Millie sat next to each other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you know-” she started, a mouth full of sausage roll as she tried to talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Talk when you’ve swallowed your food, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and chewed quickly, swallowing and grinning at Harry as she started talking again. “Did you know we can ask for songs to be played? Mr Montague said in assembly that he’d play the music on that spotty thing, like the app you and Daddy have on your phone, so we can have any song in the whole world!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spotify, you mean?” Harry questioned, and Millie nodded, certain she’d said that anyway. “And which song do you want?” Harry asked, kind of dreading Millie’s answer, and the wicked little smirk that flashed across her lips told him the answer before she’d even voiced it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adore You,” she laughed, clapping her hands together in excitement. “It’s yours and Daddy’s song now, but you and me could dance to it ‘cause Daddy’s not here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d love that,” Harry nodded, wrapping an arm around her slim shoulders. They sat and ate and talked until their plates were empty, and Millie had narrowly avoided spilling orange juice down her dress, which would’ve spelt disaster. Harry nodded when Millie asked to go off and dance with her friends as a popular Ed Sheeran track started filling the hall, and he carried the plates over to the bin, dropping them inside, keen to tidy up if he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned against the wall, watching his social butterfly of a daughter laughing and giggling with her friends before another boy walked over and joined the bunch, immediately pounced on by Millie. He assumed this must be the elusive Joshua, and Harry squinted slightly, trying to get a better look at the boy that had grabbed Millie’s attention lately. He’d not yet met the boy at the end of the school day since he stayed at the after school club, but he was keen to put a face to the name he’d heard so much about lately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Funny, aren’t they?” came a soft voice in Harry’s ear, and he turned to see who was talking to him, not recognising the voice. “So young, but so grown up in some ways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess,” Harry replied with a shrug, not able to place the woman’s face. She certainly wasn’t someone he knew from the playground, and Harry tried not to look down at the skintight red dress she was wearing. All he could think was that she looked like one of those hot dogs with the plastic casing on he’d cooked for Millie that weekend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re Harry Styles, aren’t you?” she asked, licking her lips and Harry resisted the urge to shudder, ramming his hands into his pockets. “Sorry, I’m sure you get that all the time…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s fine,” he said, too polite to be rude to her. He turned his body ever so slightly, enough that he hoped she’d take the hint he wasn’t interested and would leave him alone, but Harry wasn’t that lucky. He rubbed his wedding ring with his thumb in his pocket, and prayed for it to be over as quickly as it could be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here with my nephew,” she piped up, chattering away again as Harry just watched Millie and Joshua engaging in what looked like a heated discussion, his daughter looking so much like his sassy husband as she planted her hands on her hips, chattering away to a bit of a stunned looking Joshua. “Ben, he’s in year 1. He wasn’t sure about coming, but I persuaded his Mum to let me bring him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure he’s having fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry wished he had a drink or something else he could have to distract him, but as luck would have it, he’d finished his juice just a minute before the woman had approached him. He stilled as he felt her hand rest on his forearm, her whole body turned towards him now, her breasts almost hanging out of the dress. Harry felt it was a tad inappropriate for a children’s school dance, but maybe this was how women dressed up these days, he wouldn’t know given the only women he paid any attention to these days were members of his family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So. You’re here with…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My daughter,” Harry replied, and he didn’t care that he could easily hear the pride in his voice. “Millie’s in Year 2. She brought me with her this evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, how adorable,” the woman drawled, rubbing Harry’s forearm again. “Which one is yours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry pointed her out and the woman cooed over her again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By the way,” she said, interrupting Harry’s thoughts where they’d drifted to how he was going to spoil his husband and daughter tomorrow for Valentine’s day. “I’m Stephanie. But you can call me Steph.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you, Stephanie,” Harry said purposefully, uncaring at how the woman’s face fell slightly at his dismissal of the nickname. She started chatting away about how much she liked Harry’s shirt and his boots, and Harry hummed in the right places, hoping that soon enough she’d leave him alone. He didn’t mind making conversation with strangers, but it felt clear to him that she had another agenda from the way she kept touching him and making her voice all breathy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-a little too much for this kind of thing, but I figured it looked nice, you know? Do you think it’s alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry turned to her and realised she was talking about the inappropriate dress, her hands now skimming down her hips, trying to draw attention to her flat stomach and hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s, uh, it looks nice. Nice colour,” Harry said, trying to stick to phrases that weren’t going to get him in trouble if she spoke to the press or put anything about their interaction on social media. It had happened when Harry was younger and didn’t have much to lose, but now he had Louis and Millie, he wasn’t going to put himself in a position where he could get himself in trouble. “I just-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped talking as her hand rested on his chest, a piece of paper tucked between her fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen. I know you’re… spoken for,” she began, and Harry tried to bite back the word married, knowing it held a hell of a lot more weight than just ‘spoken for’. “But… you’re a rockstar, right? And what rockstar is monogamous?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With those words, she slid her hand inside Harry’s blazer and he felt her push the piece of paper into his inside pocket, taking the time to run her fingertips across the firm planes of his torso while she was at it. Harry swallowed down his rage, wishing the only hands on him right now belonged to his husband. He rolled his eyes, but just as he did, a little noise commotion across the other side of the room caught his eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit-” he muttered under his breath as he watched Millie lean in and kiss her best friend Joshua on the lips briefly, the little boy pulling away with a disgusted expression on his face. “Sorry, I have to go-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked over as he heard the boy start to shout at his daughter, his cheeks red with embarrassment, Millie trying to look like she didn’t care but Harry could see her hunched shoulders, and how unsure she was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-don’t want to kiss girls! Girls are yucky, and you were meant to be my friend!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just thought it would be nice to give you a kiss!” Millie yelled back, blushing fiercely herself now, trying to defend herself. “You’re my best friend, and my Daddies kiss and they’re best friends-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Millie, love, you need to come with me-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! Joshua’s being mean, and I was just trying to be nice-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not my best friend anymore, Millie! Go away!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Joshua ran off, his trainer clad feet slapping heavily on the floor, and Harry saw his daughter’s face crumple in front of his very eyes. Even though he could see she was upset, he knew he had to do the right thing and speak to her about what she’d done. He took her hand and led her out of the hall, crouching down in front of her in the hallway just outside. The door behind them creaked open and Harry saw a teacher looking at them. He gave her a kind nod and she disappeared, leaving him and Millie alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Millie… I know you’re upset but we’re going to talk about this,” he started, his heart breaking as she started to cry, tears tumbling down her cheeks and onto her dress, making the fabric darken where they landed. “I know Joshua is your best friend, love, but you can’t just go around kissing people without their consent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?” she sniffed, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan, a little frown on her face now. “The consent thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, consent is… making sure the person you want to kiss, or hug or hold hands with, is okay with it. It’s nice to ask them first before you do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her frown deepened with those words, and Harry could almost see the cogs turning in her little mind, trying to get everything in order, to make them make sense. “But you don’t ask Daddy every time you kiss him. You just do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s different, love,” Harry said, wondering if he’d gone about this in the wrong way entirely. “Daddy and I are married… we’re in love. When we got married, that meant we were saying we want to love each other, and kiss and cuddle. But you and Joshua… you’re just friends-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best friends,” she cut in, her words coming out in a wobbly voice, like she was realising she was in the wrong. “He’s my best friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that’s good, it is. But just because he’s your best friend, it doesn't mean he wants you to kiss him. Do you see that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sniffed and nodded, looking ridiculously sad now. “I just… I thought a kiss was a nice thing to give someone you like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is. If they want it too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was quiet again and slowed inched her way towards Harry, nudging herself into his arms. “I was just trying to be a nice friend. I don’t want him to hate me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t hate you, love,” Harry soothed, stroking her back gently, hoping that wasn’t the case. Six year old boys could be mean when they wanted to be, Harry had plenty of first hand experience of that himself. “Just… let him be with his friends for the night. I’m sure on Monday morning when you go to class he’ll be fine and will have forgotten all about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice was small, and Harry hated that she doubted herself for doing what she felt was a nice thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. Now, let’s go back in there-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Wanna go home.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as Harry understood, he knew that running away wasn’t going to make anything better. He also hadn’t danced enough with Millie yet, and didn’t want this little quibble to spoil the whole evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet, love. There’s nearly an hour left, and I want my special dance. You didn’t ask for my song yet, either!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small smile spread across her face at that, and Harry felt pleased he was turning things around. Sometimes, parenting without Louis around could be a bit dicey in his mind, and he was always worried about saying or doing the wrong thing. It was a minefield, and one he far preferred to navigate with Louis by his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can go and ask for it now! Come on, Papa.” She turned and pulled Harry to his feet, grinning up at him now. “But… I think I want to find Josh and say sorry. I don’t want him to be sad. I gave him his card today before the register, and he really liked it, so maybe if I say sorry, we’ll be best friends again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like a plan,” Harry agreed, placing a hand on her shoulder as they walked back into the hall. “Go and see your friends, go on. Ask for the song, and I’ll wait here for my dance. Don’t forget about your old Papa!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t! And you’re not old, not as old as Daddy anyway!” she cried as she met up with her friends, her tears by now forgotten. Harry just laughed to himself and shook his head, leaning against the wall again, apparently his favourite spot of the night. He was watching the group of girls dancing to some poppy dance number he couldn’t name when another woman approached, but this time he smiled as he recognised her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, I’m Kayleigh, I’m Josh’s Mum,” she said, shaking Harry’s outstretched hand. She looked much more suitably dressed for the dance in a pretty pink blouse and navy trousers, some sparkly silver hoops hanging from her ear lobes. “We haven’t met before, but I know I met your husband the other day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry,” he said with a smile. “I guess you saw what happened with our children…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did, and please don’t worry about it, I’m not here to have a go at you,” she said, her voice soft and gentle, much more so than Harry had expected. “They’re children, there was nothing malicious in what Millie did. Joshua just… he’s a six year old boy, you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know… but I want you to know I’ve spoken to Millie about what she did and how it wasn’t okay. I know it wasn’t a horrible thing, but she shouldn’t just kiss people, and I made that clear. I think she’s more worried about ruining her friendship with Josh than anything else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, he’ll come around, don’t worry,” Kayleigh said kindly, her eyes flitting over to the rowdy group of boys doing some sort of floss dance that Harry could never quite get his head around. He was grateful Millie was more into her painting and drawing than she was video gaming. “I wanted to apologise myself actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not necessary at all,” Harry hurried to say, keen to emphasise that he placed the blame for this at Millie’s feet. “She shouldn’t have kissed him. I know it was innocent, done with good intentions but still…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I get that,” Kayleigh interrupted. “But he shouldn’t have shouted at her like that in front of their friends and embarrassed her. I watched her run off, and I told Joshua off, that he shouldn’t have treated his best friend in that way. He said he’ll talk to her at school on Monday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s very gracious of him,” Harry said, grateful Kayleigh appeared to be more than rational about it, much kinder than he might have been had some strange boy planted a kiss on his six year old daughter’s lips. “I just hope it didn’t ruin the dance for him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It didn’t, honestly,” she said, nodding her head to where one of the boys was now attempting to spin on his head, a teacher at the side fruitlessly trying to stop them. “He loved the card she made, though. Put it straight on the bookshelf in the living room for all of us to see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry knew that piece of information would make Millie burst with pride, and stowed it away to share with her later on. They finished up their chat just in time as Millie bounded over, an excited shine in her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Papa! They’re playing your song next. Mr Montague told me it was next!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For some reason, Harry felt nervous as he waited for a room of six and seven year olds to judge his music, and he prayed that more people than just he and Millie got up to dance. The familiar opening beats of his song played out in the room, and Harry turned to Millie, holding out a hand as his vocals rang out loudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Millie, may I have this dance please?” he asked, dipping into a funny little bow that made his daughter giggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may,” she said, placing her tiny hand in his, letting him lead her to the dance floor. Despite the fact it was a fairly boppy song, Millie clambered her shoes on top of Harry’s boots, not caring at all they were worth more than he cared to mention. Harry didn’t care either, not at that moment. Millie’s arms were firmly around his waist as they swayed side to side, singing loudly to the song that was extremely special to their family. For so long, it had been called the fish song due to Harry and his fish in the music video, but finally, she’d started to use its proper title just a few months ago. “Walk ‘froo fire for yoooooooou, just me adore yoooooooou, like it’s the only think I’ll ever doooooo!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry smiled to himself as Millie belted out the words, or the words she thought she knew anyway. Nothing made him happier than people enjoying his music, and his enjoyment was double when it was his own family enjoying it. It seemed many of the other parents and children did too as he looked around the room, seeing parents and children dancing along in their own little worlds, hands laced together, feet moving to the beat. It felt better than any concert he’d ever had, stood in that small school hall, his daughter on his feet, enjoying every moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the song finished, Millie cuddled up to Harry tightly, and then reached up, putting a hand around his neck and tugging him down so she could whisper to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This has been the bestest night ever, Papa, thank you for coming to my dance with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled back but Harry quickly pulled her back, whispering into her ear in reply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re welcome. This has been my favourite night too, thank you for asking me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She planted a kiss on his cheek before she took his hand, staring up at him as the other children started dancing together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can join them if you want,” Harry suggested, waving his free hand at her friends, but Millie shook her head, giving Harry a small smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah. Can we go home now? I miss Daddy and my toes hurt in my new shoes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded and together they headed for the door, apparently not the only ones to call it an early night. Millie must have been tired as a few steps out of the hall, she stopped and asked Harry to pick her up, resting her head on his shoulder as he made the short walk to the car, her weight slight in his strong arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he was pulling into the driveway just twenty minutes later, Millie was sound asleep in her car seat.  He turned off the engine and as quietly as he could closed his door, sneaking around the car as the outside light came on, illuminating the car. He carefully lifted out his sleeping daughter and arranged her on one hip, keeping a free hand for him to unlock the door. Louis must have known Harry was coming as just as he approached, the door opened and Louis smiled fondly at the pair, moving aside so Harry and Millie could slip inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not a party animal, is she?” Louis whispered, following Harry and Millie up the stairs and into her bedroom. She whimpered as Harry laid her on her bed, Louis already beginning to undo her shoes, leaving them on the floor as he pulled off her tights, Harry doing her dress. She grumbled as they slipped her nightie onto her but decided to leave her teeth for the morning, certain one night without brushing wouldn’t be too much of a bother. They kissed her forehead and tucked her in before they left the room, Millie’s dress draped over her bedroom chair, ready for it's next outing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glass of wine?” Harry asked as they stepped into the hallway and Louis nodded, taking Harry’s hand as they walked downstairs. Harry went off to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of red from the wine rack and pouring two full glasses before he joined Louis on the sofa, taking Louis’ small feet into his lap. “That was so much fun tonight, Lou.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah? She behaved herself then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Course she did,” Harry said, not quite willing to get into the whole kiss debacle at this time of night. He wanted to save that for tomorrow when he was less tired and could talk it through properly. “She’s always a good girl, you know that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think spirited is the word I’d use,” Louis said, smirking at Harry over the edge of his glass before he took a sip, Harry watching as Louis’ tongue darted out to catch a stray drop of wine on his bottom lip. “But I’m glad you had fun. What did you get up to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry talked Louis through what he and Millie had been up to, the songs they’d danced to, the pile of food she’d got him on the plate. He loved how Louis smiled and listened eagerly, just happy for the pair of them, not at all jealous. Harry loved every second of being Millie’s dad, but none more so than when he got to experience these things with her. He knew they were memories to treasure forever, and even though he’d missed out on the first few years of her life, Harry was determined to involve himself as much as he could in Millie’s life now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a while chatting on the sofa, Louis was shivering with cold so they finished up their glasses of wine, heading up to bed. Harry locked the doors and turned all the lights off, taking advantage of the view as he followed his husband up the stairs. They both checked in on Millie, pleased to see she was still sound asleep, before they crept along the hall to their room. Harry was by now desperate to get out of the clothes he’d had on all night, and he patted down his pockets, making sure nothing important was left inside. It was when he reached into his inside pocket and found the folded piece of paper from earlier that he looked over to Louis, smirking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So…” he mumbled, holding the piece of paper between his fingers as he took a few slow steps towards his husband, noticing how Louis’ eyes darkened as he got closer. He opened up the piece of paper and displayed the phone number to Louis, who just stared at it for a moment. “Still got it, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis laughed lowly and took the piece of paper from Harry, eyeballing the number for a moment. “Too bad for her you don’t like people with vaginas, hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry grimaced that, shaking away the thought. “Eww. Don’t talk about that, Louis. She didn’t seem bothered I wasn’t into her at all, though… Apparently, because I’m a rockstar, I’m not monogamous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?” Louis asked, ripping the piece of paper cleanly in two, letting them flutter to the floor, immediately forgotten. “Maybe you’re the one to buck the trend…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I am…” Harry said, his voice low and full of lust as Louis’ small hands came up, starting to undo the buttons of his shirt, making Harry shiver. “What are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Taking advantage of my very monogamous, very fucking gorgeous husband being right in front of me-” Louis mumbled, pushing the shirt away from Harry’s shoulders, baring his torso. He shuddered as Louis ran his hands over his bare chest, pressing gently against his nipples for a minute. “All the vagina talk hasn’t put you off then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry grasped Louis’ wrist and pushed his hand down until it was resting against his crotch, making his arousal obvious. “Lucky for you, it hasn’t…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louis’ resounding moan was the only sound in the room as Harry pushed him backwards on the bed, ready to show him just how monogamous he was for his husband.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 2 will be coming very soon! Hope you liked it. x</p></blockquote></div></div>
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